Iowa GOP Trump apologists can’t quit him

No matter how bad it gets, the excuses for Donald Trump’s conduct just keep coming from top Iowa Republicans. I used to think they knew better, but I was wrong.

My congresswoman, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, has become Iowa’s chief Trump apologist.

“When we keep hearing about these stretches being used for political purposes, everyday Americans are concerned they’re going to be next, right? And that’s what I think everybody’s worried about. We need to make sure we’re refocusing in on that,” Hinson said on Newsmax’s Wake Up America in the wake of Trump’s latest indictment in Georgia.

It’s true. I’m losing sleep over the possibility prosecutors will figure out I made horrendously false statements, joined a conspiracy to invalidate votes in Georgia and pressured elected officials to ignore their oath of office by throwing out legally cast votes and improperly appointing electors to overturn the results of a presidential election. OK, that’s a stretch.

“It truly is like clockwork — another Biden scandal quickly followed by another Trump indictment. The weaponization of our justice system is shameful and must stop. Enough is enough,” Hinson posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

What’s more like clockwork is the indictment-excuse cycle. We see more evidence of wrongdoing by Trump and his henchmen and then feeble defenses from politicians such as Hinson. Politicians are so gutless in the face of potentially losing Trump voters they’ll toss their principles, deny the truth and twist themselves into pathetic knots trying to argue there’s nothing to see here.

If the special counsel finds Hunter Biden broke laws, put him on trial. Same with President Joe Biden. If he participated in Hunter’s crimes, put him on trial too. No one is above the law.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley also is living in an alternative universe where Trump did no wrong.

"There's nothing anybody can do about what's been done," Grassley told KCCI TV reporter Ophelie Jacobson hours before the Georgia indictments were handed down.

"All I can say to you is what I hear from Iowans. I hear from Iowans that they're sick and tired of the political bias in the FBI and the DOJ. And they're sick of the fact that some Republicans get treated one way and Democrats get treated the other. Just think of how Trump is being treated today versus Hillary Clinton, when she destroyed classified stuff on her server,” Grassley said.

Sen. Joni Ernst is convinced Iowans aren’t paying attention.

"I honestly think that Iowans are becoming desensitized to this. I don't even know that they are paying attention to it,“ Ernst said on Fox News.

If Iowans have become desensitized, it’s largely due to the malarkey coming from their elected leaders who don’t think a lawless former president should be held accountable.

Is there any bad news Republicans can’t dismiss as “bias?” What about Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and GOP Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger? Were they biased in arguing Georgia’s vote was free and fair even as Trump put the screws to them, imploring them to “find” 11,780 votes allowing him to win?

“The 2020 election was not stolen,” Kemp posted this week on X.

Note to Rep. Hinson. Some Republicans have a spine and still win elections.

And what about Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shay Moss, Fulton County poll workers falsely accused of election misconduct by Trump thugs. They were harassed, threatened and endured racist attacks. They’re everyday Americans whose lives were uprooted by Trump’s malicious conduct.

All of this because a political charlatan and narcissist couldn’t accept defeat, one of the cornerstones of our Democratic process. Enough is truly enough.

(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com